Growing Money

Study Says Women Are More Realistic Investors

Article from DowJones When it comes to investing, men and women hold to traditional stereotypes, according to a recent study. Male investors are more confident, while women are more realistic and risk averse, according to the 2006 ShareBuilder Women & Investing Survey, which polled 965 women and 1,066 men over the age of 18. The study, surveyed clients of ShareBuilder, an online brokerage geared for self-directed investors, had a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points. Young men, not surprisingly, are the most assured investors: About 33% of men under 35 are very confident they will meet their investment objectives versus 18% of women. However, about 50% of women under 35 are “somewhat confident” they’ll meet their objectives, versus 45% of men, says ShareBuilder, of Bellevue, Wash., where 60% of new accounts are opened by investors under 35. “Women are more realistic about the progress they are making,” says Jeff Seely, ShareBuilder’s chairman and chief executive. “They are clearly more concerned about saving for the future. Men investors are a little more self-assured, but not necessarily with good reason.”

posted by Sean @ 3/28/2006 10:35:00 AM